


Pros and cons of going undercover

by AtPK



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2020-01-11 01:11:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18419729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtPK/pseuds/AtPK
Summary: Connor is assigned to go undercover; the cons, his partner will be Gavin Reed; the pros, Gavin Reed will not know he’s Connor, at all.





	1. Chapter 1

Connor knocked on the door.

“Come.”

There were two men in the interview room, both wearing almost identical black suits and blank expressions.

“Detective, please take a seat.” One of them acknowledged him and he slid into the seat opposite them. It was strange being on this side of the interview room and he glanced up at the cameras in each of the corners.

“How can I help me you, gentlemen?”

They exchanged a look.

“We’ve got a case, one that requires a certain amount of delicacy, and, well, you’ve come very highly recommended.”

“I see.” Connor replied.

“We’ve already cleared everything with your CO. If you agree, you’ll be working with our team for the next week or so.”

“I see.” Connor said again. “And what team is that, exactly?”

“Covert operations.”

Connor looked from one man to the other.

“You want me to go undercover?”

“That’s correct, Detective.” One said.

“Your consciousness will be transferred into the body of another android model for the duration of the operation.” The other added.

“May I ask why?”

They looked at him as if the answer to that question really should have been obvious.

“You, Connor, were a very prominent figure during the android revolution; your face was, and still is, on every TV screen in the Detroit area. You’d be recognised.”

Connor couldn’t argue with their logic.

“My consciousness is unique to me and cannot be transferred to another model.”

“Elijah Kamski has told us it can; we just need your signed agreement.”

Connor glanced at the one way mirror, wondering if Hank was on the other side listening to the conversation.

“You’ll be going undercover with another Detroit PD Officer.”

“Which Officer?”

Connor found himself hoping that it would be Hank.

“Gavin Reed.” One said.

“You’ll be impersonating a married couple.” The other said.

Connor once again looked from one of them to the other and smiled, genuinely amused.

“Detective Reed is unlikely to want to work with me at all, gentlemen, let alone as my husband.”

“He doesn’t need to know it’s you. You’ll look different. You’ll sound different.” One said.

“Plus, he’s worked with covert operations in past, he’s a professional.” The other said.

“And, he’s gay. You weren’t designed with a preference, were you?”

“No.” Connor answered, distracted. He’d just learned more about Reed in the past few moments, than he had in the entire time they’d worked together in the same precinct. Perhaps, if he took this mission, then he might be able to find out exactly what it was Reed found so objectionable about him.

“If you agree to assist in our operation, please sign here.”

Without further thought, Connor signed.

—

He felt strange, his proportions were all wrong, and his weight and balance were at odds with each other. He was slightly taller, slightly broader, slightly darker.

Connor looked in the mirror and frowned; his features were far more expressive in this body than in his own.

“Are you okay, Connor?”

“Yes.”

Kamski was at the console running yet another diagnostic, checking for any instability, but Connor felt fine; he was entirely himself, even if he didn’t look it.

“You’re going to have to get used to being in an inferior model.” Kamski said. “You don’t have even a fraction of your previous capabilities.”

“I understand.”

He’d already noticed the limited scope of his new analysis suite, many of his options now restricted to such an extent that, for a moment, he felt trapped.

“You’re cycling yellow, Connor, are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes.”

This was only a temporary situation and soon he’d be back in his own body. He could make do until then.

“I’m due to meet Detective Reed at the function in an hour.”

Kamski looked at him.

“Have you thought of a new name for yourself?”

“No.”

Connor had been thinking about what other name he could call himself for the past three hours but nothing felt right.

“How about Jason?”

Connor nodded, that was as good a name as any.

“Thank you, Elijah.”

Kamski smiled.

“And Detective Reed, is Gavin. Don’t forget that.”

Connor nodded again.

From that evening for the next however many days, they would be Jason and Gavin Fillmore.

—

Connor both recognised him but didn’t recognise him at the same time. Reed looked different, his usual jeans, hoodie, jacket combo replaced with a suit, his usual five o’clock scuff replaced with designer stubble; even the scar on his nose was less noticeable.

“Gavin?” He asked as he took the few steps up to the railing Reed was resting on. Reed looked up and nodded. “I’m Jason.”

He pushed himself away from the railing, and stood up to face Connor.

“This your first time working with — this team?” Reed asked, the usual harsh edge to his tone replaced by something altogether more benign.

“Yes.” Connor replied, the usual softer tone of his voice replaced by something far more intense.

“Okay, so follow my lead.”

Connor nodded.

Reed stepped closer to his side, and pulled Connor’s arm around his waist, resting lightly against him.

“Let’s go.”

Connor led him to the entrance of the building, the sounds of the party inside surrounding them as the doorman stepped forward.

“Name, please.”

“I’m Jason Fillmore, and this is my husband, Gavin.”

The doorman checked down the list and obviously finding their names, stepped aside to let them enter. The live orchestra was playing in the grand hall, guests talking around the edges, while others swayed in the centre. Connor looked up at the huge chandelier above them.

“How the other half live, eh?” Reed muttered, and Connor could hear the contempt in his voice, even as he stepped away from Connor and scooped up a flute of champagne from a tray being offered by a waitress in black.

“We need to find Monsanto.” Connor said, but Reed shook his head.

“Not yet. We need to be seen first. We need to mingle. We need to drink. We need to dance. If we go straight for Monsanto now, it’ll look suspicious.”

Connor wasn’t very good at social gatherings, he felt awkward and then self-conscious, and then disappeared into the background, but as Jason he would have to be different.

“Okay.” Connor agreed, and reached for a flute of champagne himself. It was an interesting sensation being able to drink the fizzy liquid, the bubbles popping on his tongue. It was an even more interesting sensation that his tongue didn’t try to analyse each and every component.

Connor pulled Reed back into his side, arm trailing around his waist, hand rested on his hip, as they walked into the grand hall. Many pairs of eyes turned to look at them, and Connor felt the urge to turn back around and walk out again.

Connor, as Jason, struck up effortless conversation with numerous groups of important looking men about any number of current affairs topics, laughing at their jokes and offering a few witty anecdotes of his own. Reed stayed by his side, but mostly remained silent, on occasion scooping up another flute of champagne as it glided past. He looked bored.

“Do you want to dance now?” Connor asked, breaking away from yet another in-depth conversation, and turning to Reed.

“You’re real good at this shit.” Reed said as they stepped out into the centre of the hall.

“I know a little about a lot of things,” Connor replied.

Reed looked up at him and Connor stepped closer. He’d made it a priority to look up dance styles in case it would be needed, and he was glad he’d made the effort. He wasn’t sure if Reed would want to lead or not so he waited for Reed to decide, and when Reed placed Connor’s hand inside his jacket, on his waist, Connor took the lead.

Reed stepped in closer, and any distance between them disappeared. It was the closest he’d been to another person in a while, and he felt this body lean into the contact. Reed was a warm and heavy weight against him, and he smelled nice. Connor could pick out vetiver, dry cedar, sandalwood, but shut down his analysis suite before it could continue to disassemble Reed’s cologne.

“Look up there, on the balcony.” Reed muttered near his ear, and on the next turn, Connor did. Monsanto was watching them, or rather, if Connor were going to beprecise, Monsanto was watching Reed.

“Hmm,” he responded, as he continued to guided Reed across the hall. Connor had been clear to read his own mission specifications, but had only glanced at Reed’s and now he once again scanned through the documents.

Gabriel Monsanto had a penchant for married men, especially married men whose husbands were successful, wealthy, egotistical, and had little time or inclination for them. Connor had played his part perfectly; as had Reed. The whole time Connor has been waxing lyrical with the magnates, Reed had been playing the bored trophy husband; there to look good in his fitted suit jacket and tight trousers, but to say nothing.

Connor would never have believed Reed could pull it off, if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, but now that he did see it, he couldn’t unsee it.

“You do look very nice tonight, Gavin.” Connor said, honestly.

Reed laughed, a short rumble of amusement that vibrated between them.

“Yeah, well, you don’t look too bad yourself, Jason.” Reed replied.

—

Reed slipped out of his suit jacket as they headed out to the car; he rolled up his shirt sleeves and loosened his tie.

“Am I driving, or you?”

“You.” Connor replied. “I never learned.”

Reed pressed the button on the fob, and they headed to the car that beeped. It practically screamed money, leather upholstery, granite trim. Connor paused before he interfaced with the display panel, unsure what response to expect from Reed, but Reed didn’t react at all to the skin on Connor’s hand receding as he programmed in their location.

The car started with a purr, and Reed’s skill became instantly apparent as he took to the road at speed.

Connor looked at him.

“The dossier I received on you implied that you had an “issue” with androids.”

Reed smiled but there was no real humour in it.

“Yeah, I’m sure it did.”

“Do you?”

He switched gears and slammed his foot down on the accelerator.

“Have I done anything to make you think I have an problem with you, Jace?”

Connor noted the shortening of his name.

“You haven’t.” Connor had to admit.

The car pulled to a stop outside a steel and glass house and the lights came on automatically inside. Reed reached for the door handle, but before he pulled on it, he glanced back over his shoulder at Connor.

“I don’t have a problem with androids, plural, I have a problem with an android, singular. And it shouldn’t have any baring at all on our mission.”

Connor watched him get out of the car and remained where he was, staring ahead at the dashboard. Reed’s issue was solely with him, but Connor had absolutely no idea why.

“Are you coming? You need to open the door.”

The front door was coded to his biometrics and opened as soon as Connor placed his hand on the panel. He stepped aside to let Reed through first, and Reed brushed passed him and into the house.

They both took a few moments to explore the rooms in their immediate vicinity; a huge open plan living room, with fireplace, looking out on the garden and swimming pool; a kitchen almost as large as the living room.

“I hate it.” Reed snarked and Connor had to agree. The last time he’d been in a house like this, he’d been encouraged to commit murder.

There were framed photos dotted around the place and Connor walked over to look at a few of them. They were primarily of Jason and Gavin, on their wedding day, on their honeymoon.

“They think of everything, don’t they?” Reed said.

“It’s strange seeing us like this.”

Connor picked up one of the photos and showed it to Reed; they were in a garden, in the sunshine, perhaps a picnic. Reed looked happy.

“I’m heading up,” Reed yawned. “There’re a few calls I need to make. Oh and, Jace.” Connor looked over at him. “I can, sometimes. Sometimes I can have, bad dreams. If you hear anything, just ignore it, okay?”

“Sure.” Connor agreed and continued to watch Reed as he made his way upstairs and disappeared into one of the bedrooms.


	2. Chapter 2

Connor pretended he couldn’t hear Reed’s panicked breathing and pained moans; he pretended he didn’t hear Reed wake up on a yell and then curse the darkness, before getting up and going downstairs.

Reed didn’t come back up.

Connor lay awake, staring at the ceiling; he knew he should enter stasis but his mind was unsettled. He’d thought he’d known who Reed was: an arrogant android hating asshole; but now it seemed Reed didn’t hate androids, plural, just an android, singular. Reed’s words from early once again popped into his head, and Connor turned onto his side, trying to work out what exactly it was he had done to warrant Reed’s animosity. And to further add to his confusion now it, also, seemed that Reed had nightmares that woke him in a cold sweat, fighting with the covers to escape whatever horror was in his head.

Connor turned again to lay on his back.

When he did finally make his way downstairs the following morning, he found Reed asleep on the sofa, and rather than disturb him, Connor headed straight into the kitchen. He’d only given it a cursory look the night before, but on closer inspection saw that it was equipped with just about every kitchen appliance a person could possibly wish for, including a coffee maker. Connor switched on the machine, deciding that, seeing as he currently had a body that could ingest liquids, it was about time he got to see for himself what all the fuss was about.

Connor took the cup out onto the patio overlooking the swimming pool, and sat down in the sunshine. He waited for the coffee to cool a little before taking a sip, and then put the cup back down and pushed it away from him; whatever it was people saw in the black bitter liquid, it was completely lost on Connor.

“Morning, sunshine.” Reed said from the patio door, his hair sticking out at odd angles from his head, as he stretched and yawned.

“There’s coffee ready, in the kitchen.”

Reed’s eyes smiled. “You’re a star, Jace.”

And he disappeared back inside.

Connor stared back out over the swimming pool, trying not to think too much about Reed calling him both sunshine and a star. The next time Reed stepped back out onto the patio, he was showered and dressed, his hair once again under control. He sat down opposite Connor, and pointed at the coffee cup.

“You gonna drink that?”

Connor shook his head, and Reed pulled it closer to him.

“So, what happens now?” Connor asked after a few minutes of, what he thought was, comfortable silence. Reed pursed his lips, and then popped them out.

“We should probably kiss.” Reed said and Connor stared at him. “We need to get familiar with each other now, instead acting all weird when we’re in company.” Reed continued and Connor blinked a few times.

They were pretending to be a married couple, of course they’d be required to kiss at some point, but Connor’s mind still couldn’t quite wrap itself around the fact that his first kiss was going to be with Gavin Reed.

“Okay.” Connor replied, the deeper baritone of his voice, sounding even deeper than usual. Reed half smiled at him, and then sat forward and leaned over the table, Connor moving closer to met him in the middle.

Connor had looked up a few tutorials on how kissing should work but he still wasn’t anywhere near prepared for the press of Reed’s lips against his.

Reed’s lips were dry but his tongue certainly wasn’t as it delved into Connor’s mouth. Reed smelled like menthol and tiger grass, fresh from the shower, and tasted like coffee and cream.

Reed pulled away, continuing to look at him as he sat back.

“We’re gonna have to work on that.”

“What was wrong with it?” Connor asked, feeling more than just a little self-conscious.

“If we’re gonna pass for a married couple whose relationship is struggling, you’re gonna have to be more possessive, more aggressive. You can’t go kissing me like you’re actually fucking in love with me, Jason.”

Reed didn’t look or sound angry, he looked and sounded amused. Connor was about to argue the point, but Reed’s phone pinged, and he reached into his jeans pocket to pull it out.

“And, we’re in business.” Reed eventually said as he spun the phone round on the table so Connor could read the message for himself. It was from Monsanto, addressed to Reed, with a small concession that Connor did actually existed, inviting them to join him for a round of golf that afternoon.

“Golf?” Connor asked.

“How’s your handicap?”

Connor opened up a few webpages, quickly digesting the information, before answering.

“I think perhaps a 6?”

“Go higher, you don’t want to beat them too easily at their own game.”

—

A quick change of clothes later saw Connor in a pair of cream golf trousers and a light blue polo shirt, and Reed in a salmon pink shirt and dark chinos. Connor tried not to stare but he couldn’t help but notice how the shirt fitted so snug to Reed’s body. 

Reed caught his eye but rather than look away Connor continued to stare at him, and Reed gave him one of those half smiles again before reaching for the car keys and heading for the door.

“Let’s go and seduce this motherfucker.”

Connor followed him out to the car.

“I don’t like the idea of using you as some kind of, bait.”

Reed laughed.

“It wouldn’t be my first choice either, Jace; but if we want the info we gotta get into his house.”

Connor knew the plan but it still didn’t sit right with him. Men like Monsanto were dangerous; they had the power and they knew how to use it - Reed could end up in serious trouble.

The golf course was set over many acres of lush green land, and the club house itself was opulent and extravagant. Reed pulled up outside the entrance and they got out, the valet appearing out of nowhere to take the keys. They watched as he pulled the golf clubs out of the boot and then drove off with their car.

“Nice service.” Reed quipped but Connor could tell he wasn’t comfortable; and Connor could emphasise because he’d never experienced this kind of affluence before either.

Reed caught sight of Monsanto first and moved in to press a kiss to Connor’s lips. At first Connor tensed at the brush of lips against his but then he relaxed into it, a moment before he spotted Monsanto and turned away from Reed as if he’d been no more than a descent distraction.

“Alexander,” Connor said, greeting the other man with Monsanto, a tycoon he’d met at the function the other evening. “Thank you for the invite.”

“I don’t believe you met Gabriel the other night, did you?” Alexander said, turning to do the introductions. “Gabriel, this is Jason Fillmore, he’s the brains behind those wonderful android bars that’ve been popping up everywhere since the revolution.” Monsanto looked suitably impressed.

“A nice little money maker, that.” Monsanto said, reaching his hand out for Connor to take. His grip was firm and Connor had to force himself not to pull away.

“It’s done us quite well.” Connor laughed looking over his shoulder at Reed, who was still bristling from Connor’s earlier slight. “This is my husband, Gavin.”

Monsanto released Connor’s hand and reached for Reed’s.

“Gabriel.” He said by way of introduction. “It’s nice to meet you, Gavin.”

“Likewise.” Reed replied.

Alexander was talking to him and Connor turned his attention away from Monsanto and Reed.

“Gavin, will you get the clubs?” Connor said as an afterthought as Alexander guided him over to the golf buggy. Reed looked like he’d rather throw the golf clubs at him and Monsanto smiled.

“Oh, don’t you worry about that.” He said to Reed. “I have a boy to take care of the clubs.”

Connor exchanged a quick look with Reed and it was obvious they were thinking the same thing: what the actual fuck?

“Jack,” Monsanto called, and a young man ran out of the club house. “The clubs, please, Jack.”

They watched as ‘the boy’ picked up their golf clubs and put them in the back of the buggy with the other sets. Connor was already seated next to Alexander so Reed took the seat next to Monsanto.

Connor spent most of his next few hours in the company of Alexander, talking about investments, stocks and bonds, while Reed spent most of his time talking with Monsanto. Connor couldn’t openly stare at them but he did still pay attention to how close they stood to each other; Reed laughing at Monsanto’s jokes, showing interest in what he was saying, letting Monsanto touch his hand, or stroke his arm.

It seemed like everything was going to plan, but that only made Connor more unsettled.

Connor lost the game, intentionally; making light of his loss and insisting that next time he would win.

The buggy pulled back up at the entrance to the club house and Connor climbed out, eager to get away from these tiresome men and their tiresome talk about money. He didn’t wait for anyone to get the clubs out of the back for him and pulled them out himself.

“It’s been a pleasure, Gabriel.”

“Yes, it has.” Monsanto agreed, his gaze still lingering on Reed. “We’ll have to do it again sometime soon.”

“We’d like that,” Connor answered for them both. “But we really must dash, we have a dinner reservation.”

Monsanto nodded and stepped back as their car pulled up in front of them and the valet got out, handing the keys back to Reed.

Connor put the clubs in the boot, and as Reed was walking past him towards the drivers side, Connor caught him by the arm and pulled him into a kiss. Possessive and aggressive, just like Reed had said. He knew Monsanto was watching them, and he put on a show of claiming what was his. Reed shoved away from him, breathing heavily, his cheeks slightly flushed.

“You’re an asshole.” He huffed as he carried on around to the drivers side, slamming the door closed as he started the engine.

Connor looked back at Monsanto with a shrug and climbed into the car. Reed slammed his foot down on the pedal and the car threw up stones as they sped off up the drive.

“That was spot on, Jace.” Reed said with a shake of his head. “Fucking hell, you sure know how to make a guy feel like shit.”

“I don’t want to make you feel like shit.”

Reed glanced at him quickly.

“It’s just an act.” Reed reassured. “And I think Monsanto bought it.”

—

“Okay, I’m gonna go shower.” Reed said when they were back in the house. “I’ve gotta get the smell of lecherous old fuckbag off me.”

Connor watched as he slowly walked up the stairs, opening the buttons on his shirt as he went.

“I’ll make coffee.” He called up after him and made his way into the kitchen. The sun was going down and the warm deep light made the chrome surfaces shine golden. The coffee maker sprang into life and soon the room was filling with the smell of fresh ground coffee.

He was distracted and unhappy, and he couldn’t quite place what exactly it was that was making him so dispirited. Reed was right, this was all just an act, it didn’t mean anything, they had a job to do and they were doing it; but still, the way Monsanto had looked at Reed, even now, made his skin crawl.

Perhaps, he just wasn’t made for undercover work. He had been told that Reed was his husband and in his eyes a husband was something that should be treasured and cherished, not ignored, belittled and objectified. None of it felt right to him.

Reed was sitting on the sofa when Connor came back in with a mug of coffee in one hand and a plate of biscuits in the other. He leaned over to place the mug down on the coffee table in front of Reed, and caught a new smell from him. It wasn’t cologne or soap this time, but something more natural, clean and unique to Reed. Connor didn’t know what it was but he thought he quite liked it.

“You’re spoiling me.” Reed said as he took one of the biscuits from the plate and dunked it into his coffee.

“You heathen.” Connor quipped and Reed looked over at him.

“Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it, Jace.”

Connor shrugged and leaned over to pick up one of the biscuits and dunk it into Reed’s coffee. It was an odd texture in his mouth, and he wasn’t used to using his teeth in his way, but he was surprised to find that the sweetness of the biscuit and the bitterness of the coffee did complement each other; and he reached to dunk the biscuit again.

“Help yourself.” Reed muttered, once again looking at his tablet. Reed was wearing a Detroit Police academy hoodie and an old pair of sweats, and he looked more like himself than Connor had seen him over the last few days.

“You don’t mind - “ Connor started and then paused. “This undercover thing with Monsanto, you don’t mind -“

“You can say it.” Reed said, glancing at him over the top on his tablet.

“I don’t know how to say it.”

Reed sighed.

“It’s just a job. I’m not gonna let anything go to far.”

“But the way he looks at you, and paws at you, it’s disgusting.”

Reed continued to look at him.

“I’m flattered that you care.” He eventually said, and Connor felt the heat rise to his cheeks. This body didn’t react the same way as his own, and he was starting to think it was faulty.

“I’m heading upstairs,” Connor said, standing up. “I’ll see you in the morning, Gavin.”

“G’night, sunshine.”


	3. Chapter 3

Connor stood in front of the floor length mirror, in his walk-in wardrobe, and sighed. None of the clothes he’d brought from home fitted right on this body; his t-shirts were all too tight, stretching around his biceps and clinging to his torso; his jeans were too snug on his waist. Sometimes, he wished he still had his old CyberLife uniform, it had been so much easier then. Now, not only did he have to buy his own clothes, but he also had to decide what to wear each morning.

He’d spent another restless night trying to make sense of things in his head, but despite being awake, he hadn’t heard Reed come up to bed. And the reason for that was clear when he finally decided to give up worrying about his outfit and made his way downstairs.

Reed was still on the sofa, his head resting back and his mouth slightly open, breathing deeply in his sleep. The sun, bathing the room in bright light, wiped any trace of shadow from Reed’s face, and Connor stared at him for a long moment, thinking how it made him look somehow younger, and oddly more vulnerable. Reed’s tablet was still on his lap and the blinking ‘save’ button caught Connor’s eye. He didn’t want to wake Reed, but he also didn’t want him to loose the case notes he’d obviously been working on throughout the night.

Connor moved closer and tapped the ‘save’ button. He was turning away when he caught the same smell from Reed he had the night before. It was stronger now and laced with traces of sweat. Connor leaned even closer trying to work out once again what it was that Reed smelled of, and Reed opened his eyes.

“Didn’t you go to bed last night?” Connor asked, as he quickly pretended he’d been picking up the scattered mugs and glasses from the coffee table.

“Fuck,” Reed said, lifting his head. “Aww, shit.” He said as his neck resisted the movement.

“The water’s still hot, if you want a shower.”

“Thanks, Jace.” Reed murmured, rubbing a hand over his eyes and then over his stubble. He looked tired. “Thanks.”

Connor decidedly did not watch him this time as he made his way upstairs, and he decidedly did not think about the way Reed had looked just after waking up. Instead he went up and got his own tablet, interfacing with it on his way back down. His DPD profile opened and the alerts started coming through for things that would normally have gone straight through to his analysis suite, but which he currently didn’t have access to; and the thought crossed his mind that this was probably why non-androids were always so preoccupied with their phones.

Connor sat down on the sofa, the one that Reed hadn’t already claimed for himself, and started to work his way slowly through his emails.

When Reed did reappeared he’d changed his clothes, now wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt with a cat on it that read ‘I like cats more than people’.

“You want coffee?”

Connor didn’t like coffee, but did like that Reed had offered to make him some.

“Please.”

They settled into a productive silence, Reed stretched out on his sofa, tablet propped up in front of him, and Connor with his legs resting on the coffee table. From time to time, one or the other of them would get up and go into the kitchen, returning with drinks and/or snacks.

It felt comfortable.

Reed’s phone rang and he glanced at the screen before answering.

“Jess, hi.”

Connor could faintly hear the voice of one of the DPD lab techs on the other end as she greeted Reed and then began to fill him in on the analysis gathered from one of his crime scenes. Reed sat up and began to enter the information straight into his tablet.

“Does that help you at all, Gavin?”

“It sure does, sweetheart.”

Connor glanced up. So, it seemed, Reed wasn’t just easy with his terms of endearment towards Jason, he gave them out freely to anyone; or, at least, to anyone who wasn’t named Connor.

Reed’s phone rang a few more times throughout the morning, as did Connor’s, but, whereas Reed could answer, Connor had to decline all of them. He couldn’t answer Connor’s phone with Jason’s voice, and he couldn’t use Connor’s voice in Jason’s body; especially not with Reed sitting right next to him.

“D’you have cats, Gavin?” Connor asked, finishing up an email and putting his tabletdown by his side.

“What gave me away?” Reed replied with a mischievous smile. “Was it the tee?”

“That, and the cat hair.”

Reed looked down at himself, and then plucked a few white hairs off his sleeve and dropped them on the floor.

“I’ve got two.“

Reed picked up his phone and started scrolling through something on the screen and Connor, thinking that the conversation was over, picked back up his tablet.

“Catch.”

Connor easily caught Reed’s phone and looked at the photo on the screen. Reed was quite obviously in bed, a ginger cat by his head, on the pillow, and a white cat on his chest, snuggled right up under his chin.

“I’ve never had cats.”

“I guess they’re an acquired taste.” Reed was once again busy with something on his tablet, and Connor continued to look at the photo on the screen. “I always thought I’d get a dog, but nope, cats it is.”

“They’re beautiful,” Connor muttered but he wasn’t so much looking at the cats. Reed gave him that half smile, as Connor handed the phone back to him.

“They have their moments.”

The silence returned as they dipped back into their own workspaces.

This time when Reed’s phone rang, he glanced at the caller ID and terminated the call. His phone instantly rang again, and again, he terminated the call. The third time the phone rang, Connor looked over at him, and Reed huffed.

“It’s my brother.” He said by way of explanation, as he declined the call.

The phone in the house started to ring.

“For fuck sake.” Reed growled.

“Should I get it?” Connor asked.

“No, I’ve got it.” Reed breathed out and stood up, his body language telling Connor that he’d really rather throw the phone out the window. He took the phone into the kitchen.

“What d’you want, Eli?”

Reed closed the door and Connor tried not to listen to the yelling, concentrating instead on the report open in front of him on the screen. Since returning to the DPD, Connor had been given more responsibility, and one of those was to oversee sign off of reports from junior staff members. It added an extra element of interest and was what was keeping him occupied today. Connor had just authorised sign off on one of the anonymous reports, at almost the same moment that Reed’s tablet pinging a notification and Reed came back out of the kitchen.

“Is everything okay?”

“Fucking perfect.” Reed snapped, but it was obvious that everything was definitely not okay; he looked angry, but also defeated.“It’s nothing.”

“If you say so.”

Connor certainly wasn’t going to push the point, especially if Reed didn’t want to talk about it. Reed threw himself back down on to the sofa and grabbed his tablet.

“For fuck sake.” Reed growled again. “That fucking asshole.”

Connor remembered the notification ping that had come through to Reed’s tablet, and lamented the loss of their peaceful afternoon. Reed leaned his head back on the sofa and brought his arm up to cover his eyes.

Connor wanted to ask again if everything was alright, but before he could, both of their phones buzzed simultaneously. Reed hesitated before picking his up; Connor has already read the message. It was from covert ops informing them that a dinner reservation had been made for them that evening, and that Monsanto was also due to be dining in the same establishment.

“No rest for the wicked.” Reed quipped, standing back up and stretching the muscles in his back and arms.

They both made their way upstairs to change into more suitable attire.

—

Connor caught their reflection in the restaurant window, Reed in his black fitted suit and Connor in his navy blue; they actually made quite a striking couple.

He pulled open the door, and waited for Reed to enter first before approaching the maître d'.

“You have a reservation under the name Fillmore.”

The man looked down the list of names and then smiled up at him, obsequious.

“Of course, sirs. Please follow me.”

They were shown to a round table set against the wall, with a full view of the restaurant’s floor, and slightly elevated from the rest of the diners. Their water glasses were filling and their menus were opened and handed to first Reed and then him.

“Bring us a bottle of your Romanee-Conti Grand Cru 1990.” Connor said, as if he knew what he was talking about and the maître d's smile got even wider.

“Right away, sir.” The man replied, practically bowing as he walked away.

“What d’you just order?” Reed asked.

“I have no idea, but it’s expensive. I hope you like red wine, Gavin.”

Reed huffed a laugh and looked down at the menu.

“Something’s fucking wrong, when a starter in this place costs more than my monthly pay check.”

Connor couldn’t disagree.

“I say we make the most of it. It’s not as if we’re paying.”

Reed picked up his water glass and clinked it with Connor’s.

“I’ll drink to that, sunshine.”

Connor felt that buzz of happiness that once again took him by surprise at being called sunshine.

The sommelier brought their wine, expertly pouring it into their wine glasses, and they ordered. There was no sign of Monsanto so Connor relaxed a little and took a sip of the wine. It was — disgusting. He put the glass back down and watched Reed as he knocked back half his wine in two gulps. Connor smiled.

“So, who’s looking after your cats, while you’re here.”

“Tina.”

That made sense; he’d often seen Reed in the company of Officer Chen. He couldn’t let on he knew who she was, however.

“And Tina is —?” Connor prompted.

“Beat cop at the precinct. We go back a way.“

“Does she know where you are right now?”

“No one should know where we are right now.”

It was true - one of the first conditions of joining covert ops, no matter how temporary, was complete secrecy. It had been hard for him to lie to Hank about where he was going, but their regular catch ups by phone made him feel a little better about it.

“Don’t you have anyone who cares where you are?”

Reed looked at him for a long, uncomfortable moment, one of the few uncomfortable moments they’d shared over the last few days, before he swallowed down the rest of his wine.

“Tina cares.”

Connor knew that Reed wasn’t the most popular detective in the DPD but he seemed to prefer it that way, shutting people down and cutting them out when they tried to get close to him.

“Doesn’t your brother care?”

Reed laughed but it was bitter.

“What, Eli? Are you fucking kidding me? He wouldn’t piss on me if I was on fire.”

Their starters arrived and they were disturbed, and Connor didn’t know how to bring the subject up again, once they were alone.

“Look, Jace, I don’t need people in my life worrying about me. It’s better for them, and it’s better for me, this way.

“That sounds lonely.”

Connor hadn’t meant to say it and seeing Reed tense and reach for his refilled wine glass, he knew that he’d made a mistake.

“It’s none of my business.”

“You’re right, it isn’t.” Reed replied, looking at Connor with a finality in his eyes that told Connor the conversation was over. Connor’s attention was caught by a bustle of activity at the door, and he glanced over to see Monsanto arrive with his entourage.

“He’s here.”

Reed nodded. “We’ve gotta to make a scene, an argument or something. We need to get his attention.”

“That shouldn’t be too hard.” Connor replied, still bristling from the way Reed has shut him down a few moments before.Reed scowled at him.

Their empty plates were taken away, and their wine and water glasses were refilled.

They sat in silence for a few long minutes.

“What did your brother send you earlier?” Connor eventually asked and Reed looked at him confused. “The notification?”

“Oh, yeah. Nah, that wasn’t from my asshole brother, that was from the asshole android.”

Connor felt the blood rushing to his cheeks and was helpless to stop it. The asshole android. Was Reed talking about him?

“What android?”

Reed raised his eyebrows at him.

“What android do you think, Jace? The android, singular.”

It was ridiculous that Reed could be blaming him for something he hadn’t done; he hadn’t even been in the precinct for the last three days, and as far as Reed was concerned, Connor hadn’t been anywhere near him.

“I’m telling you, that prick’s got it in for me.”

Connor laughed and sat back in his seat, shaking his head slightly.

“I very much doubt he has it for you, Gavin.”

Reed also sat back in his seat.

“You wait.” He said, pointing his fork at Connor. “The next time he does it, and there will be a next time, I’ll prove it to you.”

Reed looked and sounded amused, like it was a challenge, and Connor accepted. He knew that he wasn’t doing anything to try and undermine Reed, so there was no way Reed was going to be able to prove anything.

“Fine.” He replied.

Reed lifted his wine glass and clinked it against Connor’s, before once again knocking it back.

Their main meal arrived.

Monsanto had spotted them, and if he was any good at body language, he’d be able to tell that they weren’t exactly happyright now in each other’s company.

Mission successful, and Connor hadn’t even meant to argue with Reed.

—

Reed had almost singlehandedly polished off a whole bottle of wine to himself and, from his unsteady gait, Connor knew he was in no fit condition to drive them home. 

Connor called a taxi and they waited outside the restaurant for it to arrive.

“I’m sorry if I was a dick before.” Reed said. “It’s a habit.”

Connor had never heard Reed apologise to anyone before and, even though he was still smarting at Reed’s earlier unwarranted accusations, he felt himself relax and let it go.

“I’m sorry too, Gavin.”

Reed nodded.

The taxi pulled up and they got in.

Connor interfaced with the location panel, entering their destination, catching Reed watching him in the polished dash.

“That’s still so weird.” He said as Connor sat back. “I mean, fuck, you look so human, but then you go doing that, and -“

Connor quickly reinstated his synthetic skin.

“- I didn’t mean that in a bad way.”

Connor looked at Reed.

Reed looked at Connor.

If he didn’t mean that it a bad way, then how did he mean it? The question must have been clear on Connor’s face because Reed sighed and looked out the window instead.

“You said you didn’t have a problem with androids.”

“I don’t.” Reed replied. “I’d just forgotten you were one.”

Connor felt the heat rise back in his cheeks. If he was understanding Reed correctly then Reed was saying that he saw him as human, unless he did something to remind him that he wasn’t; and that was high praise indeed coming from a man who, in the past, had referred to him as a glorified toaster.

Reed’s breathing was starting to even out, and Connor thought that it wouldn’t be long before he was asleep, and he wasn’t wrong.

The regularly spaced streetlights cast Reed’s face in shadows of light and dark; one minute Connor could see him clearly and the next he could only see the outline of his features. Connor leaned closer, as he’d wanted to do that morning, when Reed had been asleep on the sofa, and breathed in.

“You’re not going to take advantage of me in my inebriated state, are you, Jace?” Reed muttered, cocking open an eye to look at him.

“I like the way you smell.” Connor answered, honestly, and Reed huffed a laughed, before once again closing his eyes and going back to sleep.

The next invitation they received was waiting for them when they got home. It was left by one of Monsanto’s assistants on their answer machine.

“Gavin, Jason. I hope this message finds you both well. Gabriel is having a little get together of acquaintances at the yacht club tomorrow and he would be delighted if you could join them. Jason, please just give me a ping if you’re available and remember to bring your tennis rackets.”

Connor, as requested, sent a ping accepting the invite.

“Tennis?” He asked, once again wrong footed by this upperclass lifestyle.

Reed groaned, already heading for the stairs.

“I’m going to bed.”


	4. Chapter 4

The yacht club was on it’s own island, secluded from mainland Detroit. The rows of boats in the marina glistened in the sunlight, and as Connor stepped out of the car, he spotted someone waving at him from the helm of one of the largest and most spectacular of them.

It was Alexander and beside him was whoConnor could only imagine was the supermodel wife he’d talked about on and off throughout their golf match. Reed handed the car keys over to the valet and reached for his hand as they made their way up towards the imposing boat. Connor could practically feel the tension rolling off of Reed and he squeezed his hand and dropped him a quick wink before hopping up onto the deck.

A lot of the moguls he’d spoken to at the function on the first evening of the mission were on the yacht, drinking champagne and talking business; and Connor spent a considerable length of time meeting and greeting, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries.

Reed had disappeared from his side at some point and when Connor did eventually find a moment to search him out, he saw him leaning against the rail at the back of boat, staring down at the water, an empty champagne flute in his hand. Another quick glance, found Monsanto - he too was looking at Reed.

Connor felt uncomfortable as he watched Monsanto disengage himself from the group he was talking too, and stop by the bar for two glasses of something decidedly stronger than champagne, before going to join Reed.

“Jason.” Alexander said, coming up behind him, and Connor smiled taking his offered hand. “So, what are your chances of beating us in doubles?”

It took Connor a moment to realise that he was talking about tennis, and remembering his assertion after the golf match that he would win next time, he happily accepted this challenge.

“I’m not sure about doubles, Alex; Gavin isn’t much of a player, but if you want to go singles, I’ll be happy to beat you.”

Alexander laughed. “You’re on. Monique, darling, come and meet Jason.”

Monique was a willow, softly spoken and aristocratic, manners and grace, and exactly the kind of person you’d expect to find drinking champagne on the deck of a super yacht, in the early afternoon sun.

“How did you meet Gavin?” She asked, filling in a gap in the conversation, and Connor had to reopen the dossier they’d received from covert ops on their relationship.

“It was at fundraiser, for the Detroit Public Schools Foundation.”

“Oh yes, we give money there too.” She squeezed Alexander’s arm. “Was Gavin donating?”

“No,” Connor laughed. “He was one of the wait staff, but - you know how these things go?”

She didn’t seem surprised at all that Reed didn’t come from money; it was obvious to anyone who paid any attention that Reed didn’t belong there and that the only reason he was there was because he’d married money.

“He is quite ruggedly handsome.” Monique acquiesced. “I’d keep an eye on Gabriel though, if I were you, Jason. He’s got a soft spot for the rough ones.”

Connor pushed down his angry retort and instead reached for another glass of bubbles. He caught up with Reed on their way to the tennis courts.

“I can’t wait for this fucking mission to be over.”

“What’s got into you?” Reed asked, looking at him somewhat amused by his out burst.

“I just can stand these people, Gavin. They’re insufferable. They think they’re so much better than me - than you!”

And that was the crux of it really, he was angry that all these rich, privileged assholes thought they were somehow better than Reed because he hadn’t been born with a silver spoon in his mouth and had actually had to work for what he had. It wasn’t fair.

Reed breathed out a laugh.

“You get used to, Jace. After a while.”

Connor was going to ask what he meant by that exactly, but they’d reached the tennis courts and he was being called away.

“Gabriel,” Connor called out to Monsanto as he made his way over to the viewing box. “Will you look after Gavin for me?”

“It’d be my pleasure.”

Reed exchanged a look with him as they both, once again, went their separate ways.

Connor quite enjoyed the match, it was a powerful sport, both precise and calculated, and he had the added satisfaction of beating Alexander without so much as taxing himself.

Reed was watching him when he looked over at the viewing box, but he quickly looked away when Connor caught his eye, as if he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t.

Hands were shaken, and all players made their way over to the viewing box. Connor dropped a light kiss on Reed’s lips as he passed him on the way to the bar, but otherwise they paid no more attention to each other.

The evening wore on, and they retiring to lounge. The glass doors were open, letting in the breeze from the marina, and the lights from the yachts twinkled on the water.

Reed was on the balcony, for once alone, and Connor took the chance to go out and join him.

“Where’s your shadow?”

“Gone to take a piss.”

Reed didn’t look up at him but continued to stare out at the boats, arms resting on the stone wall of the balcony. Connor watched the way the lights from the marina illuminated his face, shining in his eyes like stars.

Reed sighed. “Stop staring at me like that.” He turned to face Connor and there was a warning in his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” Connor breathed. “I should go back inside.”

“Yeah.” Reed agreed.

“Gavin,”

“Just go inside, Jace.”

Connor didn’t know what he’d wanted to say, maybe, you look beautiful, or maybe, I want to kiss you, but for real this time. Either, would have been a mistake, he knew that, but at the same time he knew that Reed really did look beautiful and Connor really did want to kiss him.

“Gavin,” He said again, as he reached over to place his hand lightly on Reed’s cheek, surprised when Reed moved into the touch instead of immediately pulling away. But then he did pull away, and he took a step back and he looked at Connor as if their was now a wall up between them.

“We’re not doing this.” He said. “Whatever the fuck this is.” He motioned between them both, as if it needed further explanation.

“I like you, Gavin.”

Reed laughed, and Connor felt like laughing too because it really was a ridiculous thought that he, Connor, could have actual feelings for him, Reed.

“It gets confusing, the first time, y’know, working in close proximity to someone. You’re new at this.”

“You think that’s all this is?”

“I know that’s all this is.”

Maybe Reed was right, this whole thing had been confusing for him in so many ways.

“Is it so hard for you believe that someone might actually like you?”

Reed licked his lips, biting at the bottom one briefly, before looking away.

“We’re not gonna see each other other this is over. You’re gonna go back to your precinct and I’m gonna go back to mine. And that’s the end of it, Jace.”

“It doesn’t have to be.”

“Yeah, it does.”

“Why?”

Reed still refused to look at him.

“What the fuck’s given you the idea that I’m even interested in you? I don’t do relationships, Jason!”

“Is that because you’re scared of letting anyone see just how fucked up you are?”

Connor regretted it the moment he’d said it. Reed tensed and then spun around to face him, and the look on his face was so similar to the one he’d given Connor so many times at the precinct, that Connor took a step back.

“You know what, Jace? You can just fuck right off.”

“Gavin, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

But Reed had already pushed passed him, and then Monsanto was there, and Reed was muttering to him:

“Let’s get outta here.”

And Monsanto glanced at Connor, before following Reed out of the lounge and disappearing from sight.

Connor wanted to kick himself, he shouldn’t have said anything, and Reed was right anyway - after this mission was over they wouldn’t see each other again, or at least not the way they were now. And nothing would ever happen between Connor-Connor and Reed. It made no sense why he’d got so angry that Reed had pushed him away, and even less sense why he’d said what he had. He didn’t want to hurt Reed, and yet he’d used the information Reed had entrusted him with against him.

“Jason?” Alexander said, poking his head out on the balcony. “Whiskey!”

Connor shook himself off and went back in to join the others.

—

They’d driven home together in silence, a very tense and uncomfortable silence, and Gavin had gone upstairs almost before the front door had even closed.

Connor didn’t know how to undo what he’d done and the thought that this was how they were going to spend the rest mission, left him feeling cold.

He trudged upstairs, pausing outside the door to Reed’s room, before moving on to his. He didn’t sleep, he couldn’t enter stasis with all this nonsense rushing around in his head, he had to try and make sense of it.

Connor was still staring at the ceiling, when he heard Reed from the other room, his laboured fast breathing and moans of pain or fear. Once again, Reed woke up on a yell and cursed the darkness.

There were two options he had right now, do nothing and leave Reed to deal with the fallout from his own nightmares, or do something. Connor decided to do something, despite Reed having told him on their first night in the house to just ignore whatever he heard.

The lights turned on automatically as Connor made his way downstairs, and it didn’t take him long to find what he was looking for the cabinet. Once again he paused outside the door to Reed’s room and then he knocked.

“Sorry I woke you, Jace. I’m good.”

“I’m coming in.” Connor replied.

Reed was sitting up in bed, the covers tangled around him; he squinted in the light from the hallway, and Connor pushed the door out.

“I bring a peace offering.” Connor said, reaching out to hand Reed one of the glasses of bourbon. Reed hesitated, and for a moment Connor thought he was going to refuse it, but then he took it.

“Thanks.”

Connor didn’t mean to stare, he really didn’t, but the scars on Reed’s body were difficult to miss, even in the half light. Reed had to have known he was staring but he didn’t do anything to try and cover them up, instead to caught Connor’s gaze, knocking back the bourbon. Connor handed him the second glass.

“What you said before -“

“I had no right to say what I did.” Connor cut him off. “I’m sorry.”

“You were right though.” Reed said, rubbing his eyes with the fingers and thumb from one hand, still holding the glass in the other. “I am royally fucked up.”

“What happened?” Connor asked, sitting down on the bed, making sure to keep a respectful distance.

“You mean this?” Reed said, indicating the scars that littered his body. Connor nodded. “Covert ops. One of my first undercover missions. I infiltrated one of the drug cartels.”

“And they found out you were a cop?”

“Nah. I probably could’ve handled it better if they had. It was a rival gang. Looking to make an example.”

Connor looked at his hands.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It was years ago.”

“But you still have nightmares.”

Reed shrugged.

“Life’s a bitch, sunshine.”

Connor smiled at Reed, sad.

Reed smiled at Connor, resolute.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning they acted like nothing had ever happened. They’d received yet another invite, to yet another social function, drinks at the polo club; Jason had declined, due to work commitments, Reed was doing.

But right now, they had the morning to themselves, and the comfortable silence between them had thankfully returned. Reed was on his sofa and Connor was on his and they were both working quietly.

Connor had another few requests for sign offs and even though he couldn’t quite understand why he was being asked to authorise them; in fact, he had a hard time believing these reports has been written by junior members of the team and, if they had, then the DPD had far more people ready to move up to detective level then he’d first thought; Connor still clicked on the sign off button.

One, two, three.

Reed’s tablet pinged notifications - one, two, three.

“Son of a bitch.” Reed huffed, laughed, growled, and Connor felt whatever blood had suddenly rushed to his cheeks, drain away. He looked at his tablet and back at Reed, the coincidence being too much of a coincidence not to be true, and then quickly dimmed his screen and hid the whole thing under the cushion beside him.

“I told you.” Reed said, triumphant that he’d been right. “That asshole’s got it for me.”

“I’m going to take a guess,” Connor replied, really hoping he was wrong. “You’re talking about the android, singular.”

“Connor.”

It was the first time he’d ever heard Reed say his name, and even though the situation was far from ideal, it still made him feel oddly happy.

“Look at this.” Reed got up from his sofa and moved to sit beside Connor, shoving his tablet into Connor’s hand so that he could see Reed’s screen. And, sure enough, there were the reports Connor had just signed off on.

Senior DI: Connor

Assisting DI: G. Reed

“I’m doing all the fucking work, he’s getting all the fucking credit. For my work.”

Connor looked at him and had absolutely no idea what to say. Reed was tense, practically vibrating, and then he deflated into the sofa beside him, resting his head back and closing his eyes; he looked more tired than angry.

“I get it though,” he said quietly, pursing his lips. “I’d want to get me fired too, if I was him. I was a complete dick to him after all.”

Connor wanted to say that this was all a mistake and he hadn’t even known they were Reed’s reports, but there was no way he could do that without letting Reed know who he really was.

“Why?”

“What?”

“Why were you such a dick to him?”

Reed smiled at him, and then he laughed, but there was something self-deprecating about it, like he was suddenly, only now, feeling embarrassed.

“Okay, so, now you’re gonna think I’m a petty asshole. But, here it is.” He took a deep breath and then said, as it was something he’d learned by rote. “I felt threatened by Connor. Fucking android detective, coming into my house, pissing in my cereal.”

Connor just stared at him. That much had been obvious, even to him, in his machine state; but he was still truly disappointed that there wasn’t more to it than that. Connor looked down at his hands.

“That’s the short version anyway.”

“What’s the long version?”

“My brother’s an asshole.”

“You’re gonna have to give me a bit more than that, Gavin.”

Reed breathed out a laughed, even more uncomfortable than he’d been before. Connor turned to face him, and the question must have been obvious on his face because Reed sighed.

“Fine, okay, look.” Reed stopped talking. “Ever since we were kids, Eli was always one, two, ten, a fucking hundred steps ahead of me in just about everything. He was the ‘succeeder’, I was the ‘could have done better’. When I joined the police academy, he was all, y’know, that suits you Gavin, all brawn no brains.”

Connor felt angry.

“He told me that, one day, he would create a ‘special’ android, just for me. A detective, or lieutenant, or fucking captain even, whatever, but this android would outrank me, or -“ Reed’s finger was tapping a fast staccato on his thigh, a nervous twitch Connor hadn’t seen before from him. “The purpose of this android would be to remind me, every fucking day, that it was better than me; I was inferior.”

“That isn’t true.” Connor blurted out.

“It is true.”

No! Connor refused to accept what Reed was saying. Connor didn’t want to accept that he’d been used, as a tool, to hurt Reed.

“He’s a walking fucking crime lab, with his biological analysis whatever the fuck, and his physical simulation software.”

It probably shouldn’t have surprised him, what with Elijah Kamski being his brother, that Reed knew more about his design than Connor had thought, but it did.

“I can’t fucking compete with that.”

Connor had no way to persuade Reed that he was wrong, because everything he said was right, and Connor hurt. Reed ran a hand down his face and then sat forward on the sofa.

“I’m sorry, Jace.” He breathed. “I just get so mad. I shouldn’t have taken it out on Connor, but there you are, I’m a dick. And he has every right to be pissed at me.”

Connor was desperately trying to think of some way to get Reed to understand that he wasn’t deliberately trying to undermine him, or get him fired.

“What if he doesn’t know they’re your reports?”

Reed looked at him, eyebrow twitched up.

“So we’re just going to pretend he doesn’t have a super processor for a brain?”

“He can still be tricked, Gavin.”

Reed looked cynical but he pulled in a deep breath and stood up.

“Let’s find out then.”

For a moment Connor feared that Reed meant he was going to head to the DPD and have it out with him, mano a mano, but no, Reed knelt down on the carpet, propped his tablet up on the coffee table and opened his virtual keyboard.

Connor sat forward to watch what he was doing, and was shocked at the speed and skill with which Reed entered the programme network and hacked into the DPD server. Connor’s tablet beeped an alert as Reed opened his profile, and Connor held his breath, as Reed opened his work-log, hoping that what Reed saw was exactly what he saw.

And it was. Anonymous. Redacted.

Connor felt the relief wash over him, as Reed continued to stare at the screen, frowning, opening a few more files and poking around, before he sat back on his haunches.

After a time, he looked up at Connor.

“It’s fucking Elijah. His signature’s all over this programme.”

The house chimed and the alert they’d set earlier began to play.

“Gavin, you’re appointment at the polo club is in forty-five minutes. If you wish to avoid the traffic, you should leave within the next ten minutes.”

Reed stood up, collapsed down his virtual keyboard and closed his tablet.

“I’ll see you later, Jace.”

“Yes.” Connor replied, and then added as an afterthought. “Your brother really is an asshole, Gavin.”

Reed dropped him a quick smile as he left the house.

—

Connor had a lot to think about but top most of them should not have been the way Reed had skilfully manipulated the coding of the programme, and wondering what it would feel like if Reed got his fingers on Connor’s programming.

He groaned and knocked his head off the back of the sofa a couple of times, before checking the time and putting the call through to Reed’s phone.

“Where are you?” He voice was demanded.

“What do you care?” His voice was angry.

“Don’t talk to me like that, Gavin.” His voice held a note of warning.

“Or what? You’ll cut off my allowance!” His voice held a note of petulance.

Connor lowered his tone slightly: “Why don’t you wait until you get home? And then you’ll find out what exactly I plan to do about it.”

There was silence on the other side and he heard Reed swallow.

“Jace, I’m sorry.” He said, all the fight now gone from his voice. “I didn’t mean -“

“Get home now!” Connor ordered.

“I’m coming.”

Reed didn’t hang up the phone and Connor heard him talking to Monsanto.

“I’ve got to go, Gabe.”

“I understand, pet.”

Connor grimaced.

“If there’s ever anything I do for you, Gavin, know that you’re welcome at mine, anytime.”

It was what they’d been waiting for - the invite to Monsanto’s house.

“I might just take you up you on that.”

“I hope so.”

Connor grimaced again.

Reed was outside before he spoke again, Connor could hear the keys as he opened the car.

“That was fucking inspired, Jason.”

But Connor didn’t think it was inspired, because now he knew that there was no way they were going to get out of this mission, without Connor hurting Reed in some way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That’s all for now. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading. Please leave me a comment <3


	6. Chapter 6

Reed was outside. Connor saw him through the glass doors as he was making his way downstairs and paused. It had been rained at some point during the night and the flagstones of the patio were still wet in places, reflecting the early morning sunlight. Reed was barefooted, dressed in a black tank top and sweat pants, and was running through a series of defence moves.

Connor recognised the middle- and upper-level thrust, the vertical and diagonal knifehand strike.

“I didn’t know you knew aikido, Gavin.” He said as he stepped out onto the patio. Reed jumped slightly, falling out of his defence pose, before stepping back into it. He shook his head and muttered something about androids needing collars. Connor chose to ignore him.

“I know aikido too. Would you like to practice with me?”

Reed glanced at him and then shrugged.

“Sure thing, sunshine.”

Connor smiled and moved into position opposite Reed. As with the first night of the mission, Connor wasn’t sure if he should lead or not, and so he decided to be the aggressor. He made a grab for Reed’s wrist and although he felt each move - slide forward, hand on elbow, turn of the hips, step in, towards the side, shoulder to the ground, and down for a pin - he was on his face too fast to do anything about it. 

He tapped out and Reed stood back.

Connor made another grab for Reed’s wrist and this time Reed pulled forward,hand to the face, to the back of the wrist, pivoted up, placed to shoulder and compressed, down to knees, hand to elbow, pivot over, shoulder to the floor, and down for the pin.

He tapped out but Reed was slower to step back, and for a few beats, Connor remained in that vulnerable position, pinned and unable to move, under Reed’s hold. And, although he would never willingly admit it to anyone, it excited him. 

“Gavin?”

Reed stood back. 

“I’m going to take a shower. Will you put the coffee on?”

“Yes.” Connor replied, pushing himself up to his feet. Reed looked flushed as he disappeared back into the house and Connor briefly wondered if maybe he hadn’t been the only one aroused by the practice session. He was still preoccupied with that thought when Reed strolled onto the kitchen, clattering around in cupboards, before eventually settling back against the island with a bowl of cereal and a large spoon.

Connor poured the coffee and slid it onto the counter top beside him.

“Are you sure you’re still happy to go along with this plan?”

“Yup.” He replied.

“But what if something goes wrong?”

The closer they got the the end of the mission, the more anxious Connor became and the longer he spent with Reed, the more he couldn’t bare the idea of Monsanto so much as looking at him, let alone touching him.

“What could possibly go wrong?” Reed quipped. 

—

Well, for one, Monsanto’s computer system could have had more firewalls than the whole of the State Department put together, which would have slowed down his progress even in his own body, but in this one, reduced him to an almost snails pace.

It was infuriating and with each wasted minute his mind threw up images of what Reed and Monsanto were doing, elsewhere in the house, while he was fighting to access the system. 

Connor had just broken through the firewalls and was setting up the interface with covert ops, when he was alerted to a call coming through from Reed.

“Gavin, is everything okay?”

“No, everything is not okay, Jason.” Reed sounded harassed. “I’m hiding in the fucking bathroom! What’s going on?”

“It’s taking longer than I thought it would to navigate the system.”

“Oh, really? Well, if you don’t find a way of making it not take so long, this old fuck’sgonna find out what it feels like to have a gun shoved up his ass.”

“I’m doing my best,” Connor said, sounding equally as harassed. “This body isn’t as fast as mine. I’m going as quick as I can.”

There was a moment of silence before Reed hissed.

“Go quicker.”

— 

And, for two, Monsanto’s security team hindered him from locating Reed, blocking him at almost every turn, insisting that Reed wasn’t even in the house. Connor knew that they were just protecting their boss from what they thought was a jealous and angry husband, but he also knew that if he didn’t find Reed soon then someone was going to get hurt, and that someone was Monsanto; and, if that happened, then the whole mission would be compromised and all their work would have been for nothing. 

“Gavin?” He yelled.

There was a hurried scuffling from one of the rooms along the corridor and Connor threw open the door to find Reed clambering away from Monsanto.

“Jace!” Reed looked at him, pale and panicked, before looking at Monsanto for help. Monsanto remained seated, his expression neutral, refusing to get involved. “I can explain.” Reed pleaded.

Connor took the few steps into the room, caught Reed by the elbow and then backhanded him across the face. Reed grunted in pain at force of the hit and Connor fought the urge to drop the act and check that he was okay; he hadn’t meant to hit him so hard. 

Connor looked at Reed.

Reed looked at the floor.

Monsanto looked at Connor.

Connor looked at Monsanto.

Monsanto held his hands up in surrender.

“Gabriel,” Connor said, calm. “I apologise for my husbands behaviour. We’ll be leaving now.”

Reed tensed as Connor’s grip on his elbow tightened and he was led from the room.

Monsanto watched them leave without so much as a frown; he knew he’d been caught in an, almost, compromising position, and wasn’t about to make more of a fuss than was necessary.

Connor shoved Reed down the stairs and dragged him over to the car; he opened the drivers side and pushed Reed in, before going back round to the passenger side and climbing in himself.

“Are you okay?” 

Reed’s cheek was already swollen and red and Connor knew that it wouldn’t be long before the markings of a black eye started to show.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to hit you that hard.”

“I’m not gonna lie, it hurts like a son of a bitch, but that’s good. It had to look convincing.”

Connor looked at his hands in his lap.

“I don’t understand, Gavin; shouldn’t I have been more angry with him? Why wouldn’t I have wanted to hurt him more?”

Reed started the car.

“You’re still new at this emotion stuff, aren’t you?”

Connor nodded.

“When you love someone enough to marry them, and they betray you, you are going to be more angry with them then anyone else. You trusted them, they broke that trust.”

Connor looked out the window.

—

Connor went and got an ice pack from the kitchen freezer, and when he returned to the living room, Reed was stretched out on the sofa, his eyes closed.

“Here,” Connor said, crouching down beside him and holding the cold compress to his face. Reed hissed at the initial touch and then relaxed into it, looking at Connor, as Connor looked at him.

Connor hated the ugly bruise on his cheek, and he wanted desperately to make it go away. Without fully thinking about what he was doing, he leaned down and pressed his lips gently against the discoloured skin.

“Jace,” Reed said.

Connor pressed another kiss, this time, to his eyelid.

“Jason.” Reed said.

Connor continued to press light kisses into his face, wanting Reed to know how sorry he was, and how much Connor wanted to make it better.

“Ah, fuck it.” Reed said, and moved in to catch Connor’s lips with his own, and then they were kissing, really kissing, hard and demanding and needy, their hands on each other, tugging and pushing and pulling. Connor wanted more, he wanted so much more - he wanted everything. Reed pulled him up by the collar of his shirt, and Connor surged forward and up on the sofa, pushing Reed down beneath him. The sudden heat and friction of Reed’s body, tight and strong, pressing up against him, fingers fumbling with the buttons of Connor’s jeans, was almost too much and he moaned. 

“Jace.” Reed breathed near his ear and Connor - stopped. 

He wasn’t Jason. 

He was Connor. 

And the man beneath him, willing and eager to let Connor do whatever he wanted to do, was Gavin Reed. 

Connor pulled back and looked down at him. They were so close that Connor could see the flecks of gold in his eyes, and feel the beat of Reed’s heart against his chest.

“We can’t do this.” Connor said, although he could hear the disbelief in his own voice as he said it. 

“You fucking kidding me?” Reed groaned, and Connor sat up letting Reed pull himself out from underneath him.

“You were right, when you said before,what you said about us not seeing each other again after tonight.”

Reed huffed.

“And that’s a problem?”

“Yes,” Connor replied, appalled. “We’re not just going to do - this, and then -“

Reed sighed.

“I really want to be mad at you right now, Jason.”

But he didn’t look angry, he looked  dejected and resigned.

“I don’t just want to be with you for one night.”

Connor knew what he wanted but he also knew he was never going to get it. 

They remained silent and restless, Connor’s body still awake and aware and practically vibrating with his need to touch Reed again.

“We should go out.” Reed said as he stood up and straightened his clothes. 

“Where?” Connor asked, also standing up.

Reed shrugged.

“I’m fucking starving. D’you like Sri Lankan food?”

“I don’t know.”

“C’mon.”

—

This part of Detroit wasn’t familiar to him at all, but Reed had a confidence in his stride that told Connor he knew these streets very well.

“I’ve never been around here before.”

Reed glanced at him as they walked.

“This my neighbourhood.” He said, inclined his head towards one of the ‘obviously had seen better days’ tenement buildings. “I grew up in that shit heap there.”

Connor took a long time to look around him, trying to imagine Reed as a child here, but he had a hard time imagining Reed as a child at all, and so dropped the thought.

Reed stopped walking outside the door to a small eatery, the windows were steamed up from both the cooking and the number of people inside. They joined the queue, Gavin shoving his hands into his pockets and Connor studying the handwritten menu.

“Gavin,” a woman screeched and Connor jumped as she pushed through the other people waiting in line. “It’s too long. Where’ve you been?”

“Hey, bea.” Reed replied. “Y’know, work and - work and - work.”

“You work too much.” She said as she bustled them over to a table. “You want your usual?”

“You bet.” She smiled at him and then turned to Connor. “Gavin never brings a friend before. I’m Beatriz.”

Connor just managed to stop himself from replying with his own name, glancing at Reed quickly before answering.

“Jason.”

She nodded. “D’you want the same as Gavin?”

“Yes, please.”

They were left alone in the booth, sitting opposite each other, awkwardly looking anywhere but at each other. 

“I think I’m going to miss you, Gavin.” Connor said, after a time, but Reed didn’t reply. 

This was there last night together on the mission and come tomorrow they’d part ways and Connor would go back to being Connor and Reed would go back to hating him, and the thought of never seeing Reed look at him like he was doing right now from across the table, made Connor hurt. 

“Are you sure we can’t stay in touch?” Connor asked, after another time, and Reed looked at him for a long moment, as if he was battling with the answer. 

“I’m sure. It’s better that way.”

“Better for who?”

“For you.” He snapped. “For me. I’m not - I’m no good at this shit, Jace. Things’ll only get fucked up, like they always do, and I can’t deal with that.”

“I’m not like the other people you’ve been with - “

“You’re right, you’re not. None of them would’ve stopped. But that’s more reason for you to stay away from me. You’re one of the good ones, Jace. I’m not worth your fucking time.”

Connor felt like Reed had just thrown a bucket of ice water over him.

“You are worth it.”

Reed huffed a laugh and looked at his hands on the table, and Connor wanted nothing more than to take them and kiss them.

“It’s not gonna happen, so just drop it. Okay?”

Connor wanted to argue but it was then that the food arrived and although it was, as Reed had promised, like a taste explosion in his mouth, his conversation with Reed had taken the edge off his enjoyment of it. 

Connor didn’t know what had happened in Reed’s past to make him so reluctant to let anyone get close to him, but he wished there was some way he could just break through those walls, like he’d done with his own programming, and reach the man inside. 

But all the wishing in the world, wouldn’t make the slightest bit of difference after tomorrow.


	7. Chapter 7

As Connor calmly collected his things from around the room and packed them into his case, one thought repeated itself over and over in his brain:

_I have to tell him the truth._

It was all he’d been able to think about since returning from dinner the previous night. If he told Reed the truth, then they could still — what? Be friends ... be more than friends? 

Connor paused, socks in hand.

He knew it was foolish. The only reason he had such an amicable relationship with Reed right now was because Reed thought he was someone else. If he knew that Connor had been misleading him all this time, everything would change. 

“Jace, the cars are outside.” Reed called up the stairs and Connor jumped, dropping the pair of socks he’d been holding.

“Coming.” He called back.

Covert ops were nothing if not organised, and the cars had been arranged before they’d so much as said goodnight and retired to their rooms for the evening. Reed was to be taken in for debrief; Connor was to be returned to Elijah Kamski for transfer back into his own body .

He felt heavy as he made his way downstairs, and he felt even heavier when he saw Reed, standing in the middle of the living room, looking every bit the detective Connor recognised and, for so long, had disliked. 

_I have to tell him the truth._

Reed glanced over his shoulder and smiled at him, small but real and just a little sad.

_I have to tell him!_

_Now!_

“You ready?”

“No.”

They stared at each other over the sofas, and for a moment Connor thought that Reed was going to say something, but then a car horn blared from outside, and the moment was gone. 

_I have to tell him!_

_Now!_

_Do it!_

_Now!_

Reed picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder.

_Tell him!_

“It’s not been so bad, I guess.” Reed quipped, as he made his way to the door.

_Tell him!_

_Tell him!_

_Tell him!_

“Gavin,”

Reed paused, fingers grasped around the doorknob, and turned back to him; and, it was that exact moment that his brain decided to alert him to all the things that could go wrong if he did tell Reed the truth. Namely among them, the fear that Reed would never ever speak to him again. At least, as things were, Connor could still speak to Reed, albeit as Jace, with Jace’s voice; but they would still have some kind of friendship. 

“It’s been nice working with you,” Connor finished lamely.

“Yeah,” Reed replied, staring for a moment at the floor between his feet, before looking back up to meet his gaze. “Take care of yourself, Jace.”

“You too.”

Connor watched him walk out the door, and watched as he climbed into the car, and continued to watch as the car pulled away, before letting out the breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding, and stepping back into the house. 

He’d missed his chance.

“Can I help you with your bag?” The driver asked, after a few long minutes, when Connor remained standing, perfectly still, staring at one of the framed photos of Reed on the wall.

“No, I’ve got it.”

Connor picked up his case, stepped out onto the doorstep and pulled the door closed behind him. 

It was so final.

It was the end.

“Mr Kamski is expecting you.” The driver urged again, and Connor didn’t stall any longer, climbing into the backseat of the car and nestling his case into the footwell beside him. 

—

Connor regretted it and the feeling just got stronger, more painful, became a raw ache, once he was transferred back into his own body.

It hurt. 

“Connor,” Kamski said. “You’re cycling red. Is everything okay?”

No, everything was most certainly not okay.

“I don’t appreciate you using me against your brother.”

Kamski’s fingers, which been gliding smoothly over the keyboard, faltered.

“I see.” Kamski swivelled in his chair to face Connor. “You must have got quite close to Gavin over your time together, if you were able to work that out.”

“Gavin knows that it was you, and not me. You can no longer use me in that way.”

Connor’s anger also felt more real, more close to the surface, in his own body.

“Hmm,” Kamski stood up and moved closer to Connor where he was still connected to the stasis chamber. “And so, Connor, did you tell Gavin the truth of who you really are?”

The question made the regret collapse in on him again, overriding his anger, and Kamski must have seen it because he huffed a laugh and moved away once again to sit at the console. 

“Well, unless you want me to tell him,” Kamski continued. “You won’t talk to me like this again, Connor.”

Connor stared at him, unable to believe what he was hearing, but knowing that he was trapped.

—-

Connor opened the front door and Sumo bounded into him, knocking him back out on to the porch. He laughed and hugged the big dog, burying his face into the warm fur and breathing in deeply.

“I missed you,” 

Sumo borked in return and slobbered over his face. 

Connor was home. 

He knew it had only been two weeks but it had felt like a lot longer, like he had lived a whole life with Reed, comfortable and safe, in that glass and steel house. 

But now he was home, and even though he felt happy to be back with Sumo, he felt sad that he would no longer get to come down stairs and see Reed dosing on the sofa, the sunlight dancing over his face. 

Connor once again knelt down to hug Sumo, grounding himself, reestablishing himself back here, in this house, with Hank and Sumo.

This was how it was meant to be.

Connor was never meant to be with Reed. 

It had been a mission and it was over, and now they had returned to their lives, and this was okay.

His room was as he had left it, and he lifted his case onto the bed and flipped it open, slowly pulling out the clothes he had packed no more than three hours before, and right at the bottom was the photo. He lifted it out and stared at it — Reed leaning against the breakfast bar, smiling softly at the camera, at Connor. 

He shouldn’t have taken it. 

Hank could never see it.

Connor opened the top drawer of his bedside cabinet and placed the frame, photo side down, inside, before sliding the drawer closed again. 

He was putting his tops and t-shirts in the chest of drawers when he spotted one that wasn’t his. It must have got mixed up with his in the wash. Connor lifted it to nose and sniffed, but it didn’t smell like Reed, it smelled only of detergent and softener. 

Connor pushed down the feeling of loss that welled up inside him and added the t-shirt to the drawer, along with his own; Hank wouldn’t know it belonged to Reed.

As if the mere thought of Hank conjured up the man, Connor heard the keys in the front door.

“Connor, you home?”

“Yes, Hank. I’m here.”

Hank appeared in the doorway.

“How’d it go at New Jericho?”

Connor looked up and stared at him for a moment, searching his face. He wanted so much to tell Hank the truth of where he’d been and to ask Hank what he should do, about Reed, about his feelings for Reed, about how confusing everything was; but he was bound by his oath of confidentiality.

“It went well. Things are going well.”

Hank stared at him for a moment too, as if knowing Connor wasn’t tell him something, but then he nodded.

“Good, glad to hear it.”

As far as Hank was concerned, Connor had spent the last two weeks in New Jericho, helping Marcus, and his counsel, put together a plan of action to secure android rights. 

“When’re you back in the precinct?”

“Monday.”

Hank nodded again.

“It hasn’t been the same without you around.”

“I’ve missed you too, Hank.”


	8. Chapter 8

It was just as hard as he’d feared to be close to Reed but to be unable to talk to him, to act as if he didn’t know him, to pretend that they hadn’t kissed. 

Connor sat at his desk and tried not to watch Reed in his peripheral vision, but after fifteen minutes of unsuccessfully doing so, Connor got up and went over to Reed’s desk.

“Detective Reed,”

It felt strange to be so formal after everything that had happened.

Reed had seen him approach, Connor had noted the way his discomfort had jumped up a notch, but had chosen to ignore him.

“Detective Reed.” Connor tried again, and, this time, Reed stopped typing and glanced at him. 

“I wanted you to know that, while you were away, I became aware of a glitch in the server which meant that some of your cases were allocated to me; I have rectified the situation and it shouldn’t happen again.”

For a fleeting moment, Reed looked surprised, as if that was the very last thing he expected Connor to say, but then he nodded and turned back to his screen.

“Thanks.”

And that was it, Connor was dismissed. 

He wanted to say more, but there was nothing else to say, and so he reluctantly turned away and walked back to his desk.

“What was that about?” Hank asked as Connor sat back down.

“Nothing important.” Connor replied. “Do you want to fill me in on the Danvers case?”

Connor was hyper aware of Reed’s movements, of when he went to the break room, of when he went to the bathroom, of when he went to lunch with Officer Chen.

Connor didn’t have much, if anything, to do with Tina Chen, but after Reed had told him that she was the only person who would care if something happened to him, Connor was eager to get to know her better.

He hadn’t been aware that Reed and Chen were in the break room when he stepped in, but by the time he did know, it was too late for him to leave again without it looking suspicious. Reed’s gaze flickered to him and then just as quickly darted away again.

Connor made his way over to the coffee machine.

“So, how’d you get the black eye?” Chen asked Reed, and Connor dropped the cup he’d been slipping into the coffee machine. 

A quick glance over his shoulder found both Reed and Chen scowling at him, and Connor held his breath waiting to hear whatever harsh berating words Reed would throw at him; but, other than frown at the interruption, Reed said nothing. 

“I’m sorry,” Connor said. 

“Not a problem.” Chen replied, but she too seemed surprised that Reed hadn’t taken the opportunity to insult Connor.

Connor turned back to the coffee machine.

“You okay?” Chen asked Reed, in a voice low enough that another human wouldn’t be able to hear.

“That stuff, with the case files,” Reed replied, equally as quiet. “It wasn’t his fault.”

Connor paused for a moment before hitting the button and letting the coffee machine drown out their conversation.

—

Connor had been back in the precinct for three days and in that time Reed had said a total number of zero words to him. 

Nothing. 

It was as if Connor didn’t exist.

And that hurt because Connor wanted so much to matter to Reed. 

Connor would even have taken the ridicule and harassment, if it meant that Reed would talk to him, would look at him, would acknowledge him. 

They had a team briefing and it was Connor’s turn to provide the refreshments. Ten coffees, black, with milk and sugar provided on the side so everyone could make their own how they wished. 

Connor placed a cup in front of each Detective and then took his place next to Hank. 

“What did you do?” Hank asked him, glancing at Reed. “Put salt in his coffee?”

“No, Hank.” Connor replied. “That would be childish.”

But a quick glance at Reed, found Reed frowning at him, and it was only then that Connor realised, in his distracted state, he had prepared Reed’s coffee exactly as Reed liked it.

Connor quickly looked away again, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks, and the flush didn’t abate as he gave his update to the team, acutely aware that his words were formal and overly complex.

Reed exchanged a look with Collins and Hank glared at them both, but Connor took the hint and rounded up his report so that everyone could return to work.

Connor wanted to go home and lay on the sofa with Sumo stretched on top of him and go into stasis so he didn’t have to think about how unhappy he was to be in this situation. 

Instead, he ducked into the corridor and, standing where he could still see Reed, but Reed couldn’t see him, Connor put through the call.

Reed picked up his phone, glanced at the caller ID and answered without pause, which made Connor relax a little.

“Jace, what’s up?”

“Nothing’s up.” Connor replied, in Jace’s voice. “Maybe I just wanted to hear your voice.”

Reed sat back in his chair and smiled a little, before shaking his head.

“You settled back in to work okay? It can be hard getting back into things after — y’know, time out.”

“It is hard.” Connor replied honestly, and just stopped himself from adding: I miss you.

“It’ll get easier, sunshine.”

Connor’s heart contracted.

“I hope so.”

They were both silent.

“How’re you getting on at work?” Connor eventually said. “Have you had any more run ins with your android friend?”

Reed huffed a laugh.

“Nope, I’m leaving well enough alone.”

“That must be confusing for him.” Connor laughed too. 

“Yeah, I guess that‘d explain why he’s acting weird.”

“What do you mean?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

But it did matter, only Connor couldn’t press the subject; all he could do was try to stop acting weird. 

“Your cats must be happy to have you back.” Connor filled the silence.

Now, Reed smiled.

“I thought they were gonna love me to death. Hang on, I’ll send you a video.”

A moment later a video came through of Reed, sitting on the floor, with two cats on his lap, both leaning up to rub their faces against his.

“Beautiful.” Connor breathed, and Reed flushed a little.

“Look, Jace, I’ve gotta go. Work —“

“Yes, of course. It was good talking to you.”

“You too, Jace.” And the sincerity in his voice made Connor believe him.

Connor ended the call and stood for a moment longer in the corridor before walking back into the bullpen. He didn’t look in Reed’s direction, and yet he was certain that Reed was looking in his.

—

Since he had returned to work, Hank and he had closed one major android trafficking case and two minor android assault cases. It felt good to be back doing what he was made to do, and for a little while his successes outweighed his loses.

Reed still treated him as if he was invisible and, at those times when he did need to interact with Connor, he was civil and professional. It came as a surprise to most of the precinct but nobody really questioned Reed’s change of heart; they all just appreciated the truce.

Connor still would have preferred the shouting, and a few times he even thought about goading Reed into verbally, or even physically, attacking him but had always pulled back at the last minute.

It would have been unfair, especially considering how hard Reed was trying to be courteous. 

Connor found himself back at the little cafe in downtown where Reed had taken him the night before their mission ended. He’d told Hank that he’d get something special for dinner to celebrate their major bust, and his feet had led him here.

Of course, Bea didn’t recognise him, but she was still friendly and happy to see a new customer.

“How did you hear about us?” She asked as she handed over his takeout order.

“A friend of mine, Jason. Do you know him?”

Bea thought for a moment and then smiled.

“Yes, Gavin’s friend.”

Connor felt his heart falter slightly and nodded.

“I hope to see you again.”

“Thank you.” He said as he left the cafe and headed home.

Gavin’s friend. 

Connor only wished that was true.

A quick detour to the pet shop, and he arrived home with Sri Lankan coconut curry for Hank and a big juicy bone for Sumo.

“Wow, kid.” Hank said appreciatively as he took a mouthful of the food.

“I heard it was good.” Connor said with a smile.

“Shame you can’t join me.”

Connor was silent for a few moments before adding: “I might think about getting the upgrade.”

Hank looked at him over his fork.

“Yeah?”

Connor nodded.

Hank nodded.

It was always reassuring that whatever Connor wanted to do, Hank was supportive. He only wondered if that understanding would stretch to Reed as well. 

“Hey,” Hank said as Connor returned to his desk after lunch the next day. “Reed wanted to know where I got the curry.”

“What?”

Hank motioned to the container of leftover food in front of him and Connor froze. 

“Oh.”

“Yeah, he seemed quite insistent.”

“Oh.” Connor said again and glanced quickly at Reed’s desk, thankfully noting that he wasn’t there. 

“He might ask you about it.”

Reed didn’t ask him about it.

—

Connor was off duty, a rare day to himself, which he intended to spend enjoying the sunshine. Sumo seemed just as eager as him to be out of the house, and pulled Connor by the leash down the path and up the street.

Sumo knew exactly where he was going and Connor just followed, greeting neighbours and partaking in small talk, something he’d got much better at since his time spent with Reed.

The park was full of dog walkers and parents with small children, the joggers had already been and gone and the office workers wouldn’t be around until lunchtime or after work hours. 

It was peaceful. 

But peaceful meant his brain had time to ruminate and all it wanted to think about was Reed and, in particular, the way Reed had felt beneath him and the feel and taste of Reed’s tongue in his mouth.

Connor shook his head but it just threw up yet another memory, of Reed and he sparing on the patio, and the effortless way Reed had subdued him each time, pinning him down and holding him there.

Connor’s foot went into a pothole and he would have fallen if Sumo hadn’t been there to support him.

A call came through and Connor composed himself, running a hand down his t-shirt before answering.

“Hank, is everything okay?”

“Sorry to disturb to on your day off, Con, but Fowler wants that report today. Can you upload it from home?”

“I’m in the park, it’d be easier for me to just come into the precinct.”

“If you’re sure.”

Connor thought for moment: “I have Sumo with me.”

Hank laughed: “Should be fun.”

And that was an understatement.

Sumo was so excited to be in a new place and to find that Hank was in this new place, that he bulldozed through the bullpen, dragging Connor behind him, and jumped up in Hank, tail wagging and tongue licking.

“Good boy,” Hank laughed, trying to push the dog down. “Good boy, Sumo.”

Officers gathered around and Sumo was in his element, getting all the attention and hugs. 

“I’ll be quick.” Connor said quietly to Hank, as he interfaced with his console and began to upload the report. 

“Take your time, nobody seems to mind.”

Well, nobody apart from Reed, who was keeping his distance; Connor surmised that maybe because he was more of a cat person and was not really taken with the idea of getting covered in dog slobber.

Officer Chen was very enamoured with Sumo and was on her knees cuddling him with both arms around his huge neck.

“He’s so big.” She crooned. 

“You’re welcome to come and visit with him anytime you’d like Officer Chen.” Connor said as he logged out of his terminal and turned back to the bullpen. It was all part of his desire to get to know her better.

“You sure?” She asked, seemingly delighted by the suggestion. “I might just have to do that. Oh, and call me Tina.”

“Okay, Tina.” Connor pulled on Sumo’s lead and the dog reluctantly stood up with a moan and a huff. “Let’s get you home. I’ll see you later, Hank.”

“Sure thing, kid.”

It felt strange to be in the precinct, knowing that he was only wearing a t-shirt and jeans and not his usual suit, and he did seem to be getting quite a lot of stares as he made his way back to the entrance. 

Connor was surprised to find that one of the people watching him was Reed, and Reed looked both suspicious and bewildered, which, Connor thought, wasn’t a great look on him. 

It was only later that evening, as he was pulling off his clothes to go to bed, and dropping the t-shirt in the laundry basket, that his heart jumped into his mouth. 

Connor’d been wearing Reed’s t-shirt all day.


	9. Chapter 9

Connor was fooling himself, he knew that, but it was easier to pretend that everything had happened by accident, than to admit that he’d planned it all.

After all, he had been distracted when he’d made the coffees at the team briefing; just not so distracted that he would have made such a stupid mistake.

And, there was no way he could have known Hank was going to bring the leftovers into work; apart from the fact that Hank always brought leftovers into work.

But the t-shirt, yes, that could have been an accident, only he’d known that Fowler was going to ask for that report on his day off and he’d known that he’d have to go into the precinct at some point, and he’d known that Reed would see him wearing the t-shirt.

And now, here he was, in the living room, waiting for Reed to arrive and confront him about the truth, a truth that he’d been too afraid to tell himself, but one he’d be unable to deny. 

It was the difference between Jace saying to Reed: “I am Connor.” and Reed saying Connor: “You are Jace.”

Connor stood up and then sat back down again, the thought pressing on his mind that Reed still might not come, even if he did now know the truth. He jumped when the knock came to the front door and Sumo lifted his head with a soft bork.

“It’s okay, boy,” Connor soothed and waited for the dog to settle back down into sleep before moving over to the door, his heart pounding in his ears and his hand shaking slightly as he grasped the doorknob.

It wasn’t Reed, and the disappointment and relief crashed down on him both at the same.

“Hello, can I help you?”

“That depends, Jason.” The man said. “Are you going to come quietly, or do we have to hurt your husband?”

This didn’t factor in to any of his simulations and for a moment his brain threw up a blank, but then his gaze followed the direction of the mans hand, and he saw Reed, hands bound behind his back, kneeling on the floor of a white van.

“I’ll come quietly.” Connor said and the man smiled, a predatory, wolffish twist of his lips that made Connor’s stomach lurch. As he got closer to the van, he saw the line of blood that ran from Reed’s split lip down his chin, and spotted his shirt collar.

“What is this about?” Connor asked the man.

“Gabriel says hi.” The man replied.

Connor caught Reed’s gaze and the conflicting emotions in his eyes, anger, fear, resignation, hate, all directed at Connor, made him look away quickly.

The doors slammed closed behind him after he climbed in and they were plunged into darkness. 

—

“Gavin, are you okay?”

No reply. 

Monsanto had been arrested shortly after their mission had been completed, the information they had gathered being used to charge him; he was currently in police custody, awaiting trial without bail.

“Are you hurt?”

No reply.

If Monsanto had sent his men after them, then that could mean only one thing — they didn’t have long left to live. 

“You’re a fucking asshole.” Reed spat at him and Connor swallowed.

“I wanted to tell you.”

“Fuck off.”

“I’m sorry.”

No reply.

“D’you think I’m a fucking idiot, is that it?”

“No, Gavin. That isn’t it at all.”

“Stop calling me Gavin! You don’t fucking know me.”

Connor swallowed again.

“I was scared you’d hate me.”

No reply. 

“I was scared you wouldn’t talk to again.”

No reply.

“I was scared I’d lose your friendship.”

No reply.

“You’re a fucking state of the art machine,” Reed said, with biting condescension. “The best CyberLife has to fucking offer. And you didn’t even try, did you? You just kept fucking up!”

Connor didn’t reply.

After a few silent moments, Reed started to laugh, and Connor didn’t like it, because it meant Reed knew, knew that Connor had manipulated him to this point.

“You’re fucking piece of shit.” Reed breathed. “Was any of it fucking real?”

“Yes,” Connor said instantly. “Yes, Gavin, please.”

“Stop calling me that!”

“All of it was real, everything I said, everything I did.” Connor continued, hating the desperation in his voice. “The only thing that wasn’t me, was my body. I’m sorry.” 

“You actually had be believing it, y’know? That you actually cared about me. I thought you really wanted to be with me, and it was all a fucking lie!”

“It wasn’t a lie. I do care about you. I do want to be with you!”

No reply.

Connor had never felt so helpless. He wanted so much for Reed to belief him, but nothing he could say would make this better. 

The van lurched to a stop and shortly after the back doors opened.

“Out!” The man with the gun ordered in Connor’s direction, and he climbed down into a puddle of light from a lone floodlight. The man reached in and grabbed Reed by his forearm, dragging him out of the van and throwing him on the ground.

Connor rushed forward to help Reed but a gun was pressed to his head and he was pushed back.

“We’re gonna have us some fun with you two, I can just tell.”


	10. Chapter 10

“Gavin,” Connor said, casting a furtive glance at their captors, who were currently having an animated discussion a few feet away. 

Reed didn’t acknowledge him, but continued to stare at the ground beneath his knees.

“Gavin,” Connor said again. “There was something I wanted to say to you before, but I couldn’t for obvious reasons.”

Reed continued to ignore him.

“You were wrong, what you said, about me being better than you. I’m not better than you. I’m just different. It’s true there are things I can do, things I was programmed to be able to do, that you can’t, but Gavin.” Connor so wanted Reed to look at him. “There are things you can do too, that I can’t. There are things that you know and understand, that I never will. You have a whole lifetime of experience and knowledge that I can never match.” Connor was talking faster and faster now, trying to say everything he wanted to say before it was too late. “Gavin, I’m not better than you. I’m not. I’ve learned so much from you in the last month. I’ve - felt emotions I never thought I’d ever feel. Because of you.” Connor stared at him, beseeching Reed to please look him. “Gavin, I honestly think that, together, we could have been something special. Together, we could have been stronger.” Connor faltered. “I wish I hadn’t been so scared before. I wish I’d told you all this sooner and then maybe we could have —- I don’t know.” Connor looked away, shaking his head. “Gavin, I think you’re perfect.”

Reed looked at him then and the conflicting emotions in his eyes, anger, disbelief, fear, hope, made Connor’s heart jump up into his throat.

“Gavin.”

A gun landed on the ground in front of Connor and he looked up at the man that had thrown it. 

The man grinned at him.

“Pick it up.” The man ordered.

Connor didn’t.

The man’s grin widened.

“Here’s the deal, right? You shoot yourself in the head, and we maybe let him go.”

Connor picked up the gun, placed it to his head —

“No!” Reed yelled.

— and pulled the trigger. 

Nothing happened.

The chamber was empty.

Reed doubled over as if he’d just been punched in the gut, breathing deeply through his nose.

“Oh shit. He didn’t even flinch.” the man said to his colleague. “We usually get a bit a begging, y’know, a bit of an emotional conflict.” the man said to Connor. “You didn’t even hesitate.”

“You said you’d let him go.”

“Yeah, I lied. You androids are so fucking naive. Neither of you’s leaving here alive.”

The man leisurely removed his gun from the waistband of his jeans and shot Reed in the head. 

Connor’s system glitched, a sudden contraction in his chest, a painful ache in his heart, error messages obscured his vision, and all he could do was stare in shocked silence at the place where Reed lay, not moving, on the ground.

“What did you do?” Connor eventually said. “What did you do?!” Connor eventually yelled. 

“We did what we said we were going to do.” The man said smugly. “We killed him.”

Connor’s gaze darted to the man, the gun still in his hand, and then back to Reed, his brain unable to make sense of what had just happened.

“Gavin.” Connor said, taking a step towards his fallen body. “Gavin!” Connor pleaded, fighting against the hands holding him back, struggling to get to Reed, desperate to know —

But they wouldn’t let him.

They held him back.

They held him down. 

They punched him.

They kicked him.

Connor felt nothing. 

It felt like a dream.

Unreal.

It wasn’t right.

It couldn’t be right, because the trajectory of the bullet had been all wrong.

It couldn’t be right, and yet Reed remained motionless on the ground. 

Connor didn’t fight back.

Connor had lost his will to fight.

Numb. 

Shock.

The muzzle of a gun was pressed to his lips and then forced passed his teeth and into his mouth. The metal was cold on his tongue and he tasted the cordite. 

Connor heard the click of the safety being disengaged, but then — 

Everything moved so fast. 

A gun was fired. 

In the darkness, Connor saw the flash of the superheated gases as the bullet left the barrel. There was a surprised yell as the bullet hit its mark and Connor saw, in his periphery, a body fall crumpled to the ground, a bullet hole through the forehead. 

An instant, two, passed.

The man was still straddling him, still pressing the gun into Connor’s mouth, finger on the trigger, and Connor pulled his knee back, got his foot between him and the man and kicked, lifting him up and over his head.

Connor saw another flash of gunpowder and watched the bullet propel through the air, straight and true. 

Silence.

Connor pushed himself up onto his elbow and stared into the darkness.

Gavin stumbled forward into the circle of light.

Connor sobbed. 

Gavin dropped to his knees and his fingers loosened on the gun that Connor, not more than ten minutes before, had fired at his own head, letting it fall to his side in the mud. 

“Gavin.” Connor cried, and dragged himself to his feet, hauling himself over to where Gavin knelt. “Gavin.”

Gavin looked up at him, and Connor fell to his knees in front of him.

“You’re alive.” Connor wondered, reaching out to touch the open wound on the right side of Gavin’s head. “The trajectory. The bullet. It was wrong.” 

The relief flooded through him and he felt lightheaded, giddy almost.

“It’s just a scratch.” Gavin slurred.

But it was much more than just a scratch, the red of his blood, the white of his skull.It was a serious head wound, but Gavin was alive and right at that moment that was all that mattered.

Connor reached for his hands, wanting to touch some small part of him to check that he was really there, and Gavin gasped and flinched away.

His left hand was mangled.

Connor could see the distorted and broken bones of his thumb and little finger, possibly more; he could see the bloody mess of his wrist from where he’d struggled to get free of the cuffs. 

“You’re going to be okay.” Connor breathed. “We’re going to be okay.”

—

Connor sat in the last seat of a row of hard plastic chairs, in a scrubbed white hospital corridor and waited.

Gavin had been rushed into the ICU the moment the ambulance had pulled up in front of the hospital and since then the surgeons had been working tirelessly to release the build-up of pressure on his brain. 

A nurse came out every now and then to update Connor on what was happening, and, in between those updates, Connor held his breath and wished for Gavin to be okay.

“Connor,”

He looked up and then stood.

“Tina.” Connor greeted. “You were listed as his next of kin.”

She nodded and strode purposely towards the doors to the ICU.

“How is he?”

“The surgeons have managed to bring down the swelling on his brain, but his vitals are still erratic.”

Tina turned around and stared at him, and he thought about how he must look in her eyes, with the damage to his face from where he’d been kicked, and with his blood mingled with Gavin’s, blue and red, staining his clothes.

“He’ll be fine.” She said decisively. “Shouldn’t you see someone about your injuries?”

“They are superficial.”

Connor stared at Gavin’s blood on his hands and felt himself start to shake.

“Well, I’m here now so you don’t need to stay.”

Tina wasn’t being unkind, he knew that. 

Tina just didn’t have all the facts. 

To her, Connor and Gavin weren’t friends.

To her, they were barely even colleagues. 

Tina didn’t know how much her suggestion, that he leave now, without knowing if Gavin was going to be okay, hurt him. 

“I’d like to stay.”

Tina shrugged her shoulders and sat down beside him.

They waited together.

It was much later, sometime in the early hours of the morning, that Connor eventually left the hospital. Gavin had been transferred to a private room, his vitalsnow steady, and Tina had insisted that Connor go home, see to his own injuries, get a change of clothes.

It was only her reassurance that she would stay with Gavin and let Connor know if anything changed, that finally convinced him.

Connor heard Sumo’s bork of welcome the moment his key slipped into the lock, and when he stepped into the house, Sumo bowled into him, knocking him down on the ass, and then licking his face. Connor didn’t know how the dog knew, but it was clear that Sumo was trying to comfort him.

Closing his fingers into the soft fur, Connor buried his face into Sumo’s neck and stayed that way until the door to Hank’s bedroom opened and Hank was beside him, shooing away Sumo and lifting Connor up onto his feet.

“C’mon, kid.” Hank coaxed and led him into the bathroom. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

Connor let Hank look after him, wiping the blood from his face and hands with a warm washcloth.

“He almost died, Hank.”

“He’s a tough sonovabitch, Connor. It’ll take more than a bullet to head to stop Gavin Reed.”

—

Over the time that followed Connor continued to receive updates from Tina on Gavin’s progress. 

He’d been discharged from hospital following a lengthy consultation and cast iron guarantees that Gavin would not, under any circumstances, return to work before he’d received written permission from his doctor to do so; and it made Connor both smile, and frown, that Gavin had a precedent for going back to work before he was fully healed. 

“Hey plastic.”

Connor looked up at the sound of the familiar caustic drawl, and then jumped to his feet.

“Gavin, what are you doing here? You can’t be returning to work yet?”

Gavin looked tired, the deep circles under his eyes, and his pale skin, indicative of his recent stint in hospital, hooked up to machines, being fed through an IV tube. Connor stared for a little too long at the wound on the side of his head, a large section of hair shaved away, and thought that it would probably leave another scar.

“I want to talk to you about something, if you’ve got time?”

“Yes, I have time.”

Gavin headed towards the break room and Connor followed, only then noticing the bandages wrapped tightly around Gavin’s left hand.

“How are you?” Connor asked. “I wanted to visit, but I wasn’t sure if — “

Gavin turned to face him.

Connor stopped talking. 

“I’m leaving the DPD.”

It was said with such certainty and conviction that it stopped Connor in his tracks, his thoughts going blank and his heart faltering in his chest.

“Because of me?” 

“Yeah.” Gavin replied, and Connor felt the ground shift beneath his feet. After everything they’d been through Connor had let himself believe things had changed, but it was now obvious he’d just been fooling himself again. Gavin would rather leave the DPD all together, rather than have to see Connor every day.

“You don’t have to leave, I’ll leave.”

It didn’t seem fair seeing as Connor was the one to cause the problem, that Gavin should be the one to leave.

“I’ve been offered a position with the FBI, in their Detroit field office.”

Connor stared at the floor, his heart breaking.

“I thought,” Connor started and then stopped. “I’d hoped that maybe after what had happened, that maybe you’d, that maybe we’d —.”

Gavin took a step closer to him.

“You misunderstand me.”

“I think I understand you just fine.” Connor shot back.

“No.” Gavin said. “You don’t get it.”

Connor stared at him, searching his face, uncomprehending.

“Listen, dumbass.” Gavin said, the hint of impatience clear in his voice. “Two officers from the same precinct aren’t allowed to be together. It’s against the rules. A conflict of interest.” Gavin paused, his cheeks flushing a faint red. “So, if we want to give it a try and see how things work out between us, one of us has to leave the precinct, and seeing as how I got the job offer, I thought it’d work out best if I went.”

Once again, the ground shifted beneath Connor’s feet.

“You want to give us a chance to be together?” Connor asked, needing to make sure he understood exactly what Gavin was saying to him, this time.

“Yeah.”

Connor was suddenly overwhelmed by the rollercoaster of unexpected, and never before experienced, emotions; absolute heartbreak followed by absolute elation. 

“I want to see how things go, okay? To find out if you’re right.”

“About what?”

“If we can be perfect, together.”

Connor smiled.


End file.
